章 37: A Different Point of View
Summer Holiday, 1976
"I can't believe that your mother and father allowed you to come stay with me for the summer," Lily squealed excitedly. Hermione grinned widely.
"I know, right? I'm so excited. We'll get to spend every single day with Sev. Oh! I almost forgot! I got all of us tickets to see the Ramones in London in July. It's going to be amazing!" Hermione bounced in excitement.
"Er, about that, Hermione," Lily said cautiously, eyeing her friend. Hermione's smile faltered slightly.
"What?" She asked quietly.
"You can't dress like that at my house. My sister will make fun of you. Do you have any muggle clothes?" Lily explained in embarrassment. She had grown used to Hermione's beautiful silk dresses—it was just what Hermione wore. Her friend looked down at her clothes and then stared at Lily. She had the funniest expression on her face, it looked almost pained.
"You know, I forgot?" Hermione whispered, her cheeks flushing. "I can't believe that I forgot. I mean, I knew, but I'm so used to…oh bloody hell."
"The boys are rubbing off on you," Lily said with a giggle.
After the attempted attack on Hermione, the marauders had spent all of their time guarding Hermione. It was hysterically funny to watch what Hermione sarcastically dubbed 'the changing of the guard'. The marauders couldn't be with her every class of the day, and when they weren't with her, Severus was. The marauders wouldn't talk to him, and he never spoke to them, but there was this weird dogs circling one another dance that they would do outside the class. Lily noticed that Lucius Malfoy and Regulus Black always maintained a presence in the hallways near Severus when Hermione changed classes. She even saw Sirius nod almost imperceptibly to Regulus. No one else noticed, but Lily had been watching the two brothers, and she saw it. It made Lily feel better to know that Severus and James were able to come to a truce for Hermione's sake. Unfortunately, that did nothing for the safety of her heart, which seemed to traitorously declare ever more of itself for the stupid Chaser.
"I have muggle money, Father took me to Gringott's. We weren't sure how much would be enough, but I bet it's enough to get some muggle clothes," Hermione said firmly. "We should go now before we go to your house, right?"
Taking Hermione clothes shopping was one of the most amusing things that Lily had done so far this summer. When she walked into a store, she expected sales people to run over to her because that was just what happened in wizard stores. After all, she was Hermione Potter. That confidence that came from breeding and privilege did bring sales people. Most of them recognized that the quality of Hermione's clothing was ridiculously expensive. Hermione was non-plussed when the clothing did not automatically resize itself. She frowned darkly at a pair of jeans that was too tight.
Hermione was so confused. She had Old Hermione's memories, but funnily enough she had not considered clothes shopping a high priority because those memories were somewhat fuzzy and indistinct. She remembered wearing jeans and preferring them to anything else, but now the fabric felt rough and uncomfortable against her skin. She knew that James and Sirius ran around wearing jeans and t-shirts when they went into town, but the boys were allowed all sorts of shocking freedoms that she, as a girl child, wasn't. She sighed and tried on another pair of jeans. These were snug, they looked like they were painted on. Old Hermione thought they were perfect, but Hermione Potter was horrified. Her legs were there for just anybody to look at. Her butt was practically on display and the snugness emphasized her curvy hips.
You need to relax, kiddo. Let Auntie Hermione show you how it's done.
She found several outfits that Old Hermione heartily approved of and purchased everything. She was going to be staying with Lily for the whole summer after all, and she had to have clothes. She ended up wearing the painted on jeans, sandals, and a dark blue halter top. Hermione found a pair of oversized sunglasses and put those on as well. After they paid for everything and left the store, Hermione walked down the street, trying to get used to the feel of denim rubbing between her legs. It was an odd sensation and it made her slightly uncomfortable.
"Uh, Hermione?" Lily asked hesitantly. Hermione stopped and looked at Lily who was watching her with wide eyes.
"What is it Lils?" She asked curiously.
"How are you doing that?" Lily asked. Hermione frowned.
"Doing what?"
"That…that…sort of hip-swaying shimmy thing. Men keep staring at you," Lily hurried over and hissed at her. Hermione blinked behind her sunglasses and her cheeks turned pink.
"I'm just walking," she muttered. "Like I always do."
"You walk like that in your dresses? It sure doesn't look like it," Lily replied.
"It's probably because of how I was taught to walk," Hermione said finally. She imitated her mother, "a lady glides, Hermione. She does not stomp, nor does she lumber."
"I think I remember your mother saying something like that," Lily said thoughtfully.
"Well, I can't help it!" Hermione said in frustration. "I'm not trying to do it like this, I just do. When I wear dresses, you can't tell."
"I bet if it was a tight enough dress we could," Lily muttered to herself.
"A lady's robes are never that tight," Hermione replied dryly.
"Well, we'll just have to deal with it," Lily said firmly. "Maybe we can have Sev pretend to be your boyfriend and scare off guys."
"Surely it won't be an issue," Hermione said uncertainly. "No gentleman would approach a lady with whom he hadn't been formally introduced. It wouldn't be proper."
"These are not pureblood wizards," Lily said flatly. "They're muggle men and you look like a huge bowl of chocolate candy."
"I do?" Hermione said in surprise. Lily closed her eyes for a moment and Hermione knew she was counting. Then her emerald green eyes snapped open and she stared at Hermione.
"Are you serious? No, of course you are. Hermione, my most beloved sister, you have grown up. You are a freaking knock out. The boys at Hogwarts aren't going to know what's hit them. Thank Merlin you dumped Diggory at the end of last year," Lily added under her breath.
"Lily, don't be silly," Hermione said with a throaty chuckle that drew admiring glances. Lily grabbed her hand and hurried down the street.
"Yeah, that's me, the silly one," Lily muttered.
HP/HG/HP
"That was the most incredible thing I have ever seen, ever!" squealed Hermione, bouncing down the street.
"It was pretty intense," Severus observed with a shrug. Hermione laughed up into his face.
"It was incredible," she insisted.
"Hermione, did you drink anything in there?" Lily asked worriedly. Hermione giggled.
"I did, but it was just rum and coke," Hermione said with a wicked grin.
The Ramones. London. July 1976. It was the sort of thing that Old Hermione had been secretly jealous about—that she was born too late and had missed out on seeing one of the most incredible, influential bands ever in live concert. Tonight she had actually seen them. In person. Hermione had stolen three ID cards and had glamoured the three of them to look like their cards. Hermione currently looked like a punk rocker, but sort of adorable at the same time. Her hair was short, and she'd spiked it out a little. She had on tight jeans, converse and a cut up Ramones t-shirt. Severus had liberty spikes. She wasn't sure they'd look okay on Sev, but they looked okay on the person he was glamoured to look like.
"Hermione!" Lily's voice was properly scandalized. Hermione snorted and started laughing.
"Shhh. 'Sokay. Shhh. Shhh," then she started giggling again.
"Why are you shushing me?" Lily demanded, her voice getting a little louder. Hermione's hand clapped over Lily's mouth and she giggled some more. She stopped in front of two men who were standing outside of a restaurant smoking. It was James and Sirius.
"That's why," Hermione whispered loudly and giggled some more.
"Er, do you ladies need help?" James asked cautiously, carefully eyeing the giggling woman in front of him. The other girl shook her head frantically, her eyes wide.
"You know," Hermione said standing up and weaving only slightly. "Smoking is a disgusting habit."
"So's public intoxication, love," Sirius observed coolly after taking a drag. She started giggling again. "What's so funny?"
"You, preaching about public intoxication," Hermione would have fallen to the ground if Severus hadn't caught her by the elbow. She frowned at him. "No, I'm fine. Stop treating me like I'm going to break."
"Why is that funny," Sirius asked with a frown. Hermione straightened up again and poked him in the chest.
"You…you become the biggest public intoxicator I've ever seen. I've seen you passed out clothed, naked, half-clothed, dirty, clean, once in a bathtub with jell-o, with women, with a woman, sans women all together, and once…once with Remus, which was totally disturbing." She told him…weaving slightly. Sirius spluttered and turned various shades of red. He didn't know who this girl was, or what exactly she was saying, but he was incredibly disturbed at the moment.
"Remus?" James said in surprise, turning to stare at Sirius. "Really?"
"Not like that!" Hermione slapped James' arm. "No, I think it was the anniversary of…of…oh shit."
Her eyes had gone strange and she seemed to staring at something no one else could see. Her eyes—they had no whites to them—they looked completely black, there was no pupil, no iris. She was whimpering quietly, and her hands where clenching and unclenching at her sides.
"Love, what do you see?" Severus asked gently, cupping Hermione's face in his hands. Her eyes were wide and panicked, and she was hyperventilating.
"James," she gasped, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Oh, god, James."
"Excuse me?" James asked, confused, staring at the three strange people in front of him.
"Not James," the woman was gasping and crying, her voice thick with pain. "Please not James."
"No," the man whispered soothingly. "No, we won't let anything happen to James."
"Promise me," the woman's voice sounded broken. "Promise me."
"I promise," he muttered, glancing back at the other girl who was staring at them with wide eyes. Her expression surprised and shocked.
"What's happening?" The other girl asked, worry evident in her features.
"It's a vision," the man muttered. "Shit, this is bad. If he finds out, bloody hell, if he finds out she's a Seer, he's going to want her. You can't tell anyone about this. Nobody."
The two of them glanced at James and Sirius, and then looked at each other. The girl swallowed convulsively, and reached out to touch the man's arm.
"He?" The other squeaked, her eyes filled with horror. "Who's he?"
"Who the bloody hell do you think? We have to go. Now," he muttered. He swung the one girl up in his arms. The other girl looked like she was full-blown panicking.
"What do you mean he'd want her?" She asked in a small voice. The man turned and just looked at her.
"He's not going to want to snog her, he'd…he'd….oh I think I'm going to be sick," he muttered to himself. "Come on, we have to go."
"Okay, I'm coming," she said, hurrying to match his stride.
Hey, wait!" James called after them. The other girl looked over her shoulder at him, her eyes wide with fear and they seemed hurry faster.
"What the hell?" Sirius said, his cigarette laying on the sidewalk burning. James was frowning at the quickly moving figures.
"I don't know…but I don't like it." He said finally. "D'you suppose she meant me?"
"You, as in 'James'? I don't know. The one bloke said she was a Seer, that's…that's rare James, you know that. Dangerous right now, too," Sirius said darkly, thinking about his family.
"Yeah," James agreed. "I think that guy meant You-know-who when he said 'he'. I don't think they knew their friend was a Seer, and they're terrified now."
"Looks like it," Sirius said slowly. The group was completely gone.
"Thank Merlin Hermione's not a Seer. I'd hate to think of him trying to get his hands on her," James muttered shuddering reflexively. Sirius frowned.
"Why on earth would Hermione be a Seer?" Sirius scoffed. James looked at him and flushed.
"Didn't you know? Seers run in the family. Not often, of course. Haven't had one in a couple centuries." James said with a shrug. Sirius felt cold at those words, and couldn't help agreeing whole-heartedly with James.
"Yeah? Well, then, thank Merlin she's not," Sirius muttered.
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